A Light in the Darkness
by Chaimera
Summary: When you live your life in shadow, even the smallest spark can lead you out of the darkness. Abandoned! Please see my profile.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Nothing here is mine. Don't sue me! ...please.**

**Ok folks. This is my first Xiaolin Showdown fic so if there's any spelling mistakes or cannon inconsistencies please do not hesitate to tell me and I'll change it. It's a bit dark as the title and summary might suggest. Well, give it a go.**

**A Light in the Darkness**

**By Chaimera**

The young woman moved silently through the squalid back alleys of the sprawling city. A watery street lamp was the only thing that lit the darkness as she jumped from shadow to shadow.

Even if someone had seen her, they would have taken no notice. These back streets were full of the homeless and hopeless, dead ends in more ways than one.

Something rustled in the darkness and the woman paused, frozen in a spot of light, like a statue in a museum. Had there been anyone there to see her, they would have been given a good and rare chance to study her closely. Dark hair was pulled away from her face and into a long braid that fell down her back. Bright eyes surveyed the quiet street intently, taking in every detail from top to bottom, her face a study of concentration, biting her bottom lip ever so slightly. A long curved scar ran across her face, giving her a distinctly dangerous look. The white line that marred the otherwise beautiful face started above her left eyebrow and curved down across her eye, ending at her cheekbone. She was dressed all in black, and simply. Cargo pants, tank top, tight fitting jacket. If one looked close enough, they could see a metallic glint from under her jacket, near her hip. Certainly not a woman to mess with.

She began to move again now, small, lithe body jumping easily over a fence and into a yard. Footsteps and voices could be heard from a distance, echoing down to her position. She sped up now, climbing a ladder to a roof, moving swiftly from building to building, hiding in shadows and flitting over surfaces so that the next second, it was as if she was never there.

Finally, she paused, glancing around again before darting in a roof top door and disappearing.

The man sitting at the desk slammed down the phone and growled at no one in particular. Jack was in a foul mood. Wuya had ruined any economy there was. Hell for a business man. Of course, he was still the richest person in the world, asides from Wuya, but that wasn't the point. Jack had matured since the early years. He found a certain satisfaction in actually working for his profit. Suddenly a nasty grin split his face. There was always the black market economy that was always booming. He'd been involved in the black market for years now. He got a great feeling from doing something Wuya neither approved nor knew of. He'd grovel and beg and get her to forgive him if she ever found out, but until then…. He grinned again and chuckled to himself. He loved being second in charge of the world.

Jack barely heard the door open and close and when he looked up his grin got even bigger. Speaking of things Wuya didn't approve of….

Kimiko looked at the man before her with pure loathing. The red haired man grinned at her and she felt her stomach turn. Kimiko had been 'dealing' with Jack for almost three years now. The resistance was in shambles. Omi, Raimundo and Clay were all missing in action; nothing had been heard from them in years. Morale, medical supplies, food and safe hideouts were all in short supply and Jack Spicer was, defying all logic, the only one who would deal with known resistance members. Kimiko knew he had his own motives, she had seen them first hand, and then he would never give them anything that would actually give them an advantage, but he got them medicine and food when it was desperately needed and that was the reason she was currently standing in the little toads office, high above the poverty and despair that he and Wuya had caused.

He stood and moved forward, smiling deviously, and took her hand.

"Kimiko. What a pleasant surprise."

Jack approached the young woman before him. She was certainly a sight to behold. Despite the long scar that defaced her, she was still quite beautiful. While good looking in her youth, she had grown into a beauty to rival the gods. Her form was lean and athletic, her breasts, big but not so much as to be disproportionate to her size, her face was like that of a fallen angel. Sometimes, it worried him that he might be in love with her. A twisted love, but love none the less. After all, it was he who had caused the scar. He loved the power he felt when being around her. She never accepted his offers though. She was stubborn, but one way or another, she would be his one day.

She looked at him scornfully and pulled her hand out of his.

"Enough with the fake pleasantries Jack. You know why I'm here."

He raised an eyebrow. "Need medicine? Food? You should really look into some money making ventures."

"Unfortunately, I've got the mark of Kane." She gestured to the scar running over her eye.

"Yeah. You should thank me for that really. You never have to work again."

Kimiko clenched her fists, practically trembling with rage. The nerve…

"What do you want this time Jack?" Her voice was tightly controlled.

Jack smirked. "Oh you know what I want Kimi."

He grabbed her by her waist and spun her around, backing her up against his desk. His hand went up to her face, holding it in place as he kissed her harshly.

He pulled back and grinned at her.

"You know there's only ever one payment."

Kimiko clenched her teeth as he began to kiss the side of her neck while slipping her leather jacket off her shoulders. She felt disgusting and dirty but if she didn't go along with Jack's disgusting demands, people would die. She yelped slightly as he bit down on her shoulder. She grimaced as he ground against her, pushing further back onto the table. He pulled her top off, climbing on top of her. Kimiko closed her eyes as she felt his hand scrabbling at the belt of her trousers. In times like this, everyone had a job to do, a burden to carry, a price to pay. This was hers.

Kimiko shrugged back into her jacket as Jack did up his fly. He looked up at her.

"A truck will meet you just outside the city limits tomorrow. It'll have everything you need."

She nodded, not finding it within herself to speak to him. He walked up to her and grabbed her face again, giving her another kiss.

"Why don't you stay with me Kimi? You could have everything you wanted. You could help me rule the world."

Fire flashed in her eyes and she pulled out of his grasp.

"Not in a million years Jack Spicer and you know it."

He laughed and his hand went to her ass. "You used to say that about this." He squeezed. "And now look where we are. We'll see Kimi."

She turned and walked out the door. He grinned at the spot where she was standing. One of these days, she would be his.

Kimiko dropped down to the dark street and grimaced. She limped slightly as she made her way out of the city. She looked at the bruises on her wrists and upper arms, felt them on her inner thighs. Jack got out of control during sex. He tended to forget he was with another person and not an inanimate object. She sighed and continued on, heading for the mountains. She didn't know where it had all gone wrong really. Even with Jack. He didn't used to be evil, not truly. Now it seemed he had achieved his dream. Kimiko hated him more that she hated Wuya.

It had been six years now. Six years since Wuya had returned to power and this time, she had stayed there. Master Fung had died soon afterwards, then Omi had disappeared, then Clay. Raimundo had been the last to go and the presence Kimiko had mourned the most. That had been four and a half years ago. There were other people out there, willing to fight against Wuya but they were continually beaten down. Now they were simply a bunch of out laws, trying to survive.

She looked up at the massive cave entrance. It seemed ironic that no one had ever thought of looking for them there. Of course, if it had been her, she wouldn't have thought of it either. She knocked and the door slid open. She didn't even flinch as the door boomed shut behind her and she looked around the huge cavern. It looked empty but she knew better.

She turned and found herself looking into a pair of narrowed yellow eyes. She rolled her own blue ones and pushed the man back.

"Gods Chase, do you have to be so dramatic. A simple 'hi' would have sufficed."

He frowned. "I'm sure."

He approached her and she backed away warily. She didn't fear him (not like she should have, at any rate) but she was still nervous. He was the one to roll his eyes this time and he stepped up to her, taking her chin in his hand, much like Jack had done, but his touch was unusually gentle. He moved her face up, examining the bruises on her neck and shoulders, taking in the various bite marks as well.

He let her go and stepped back, shaking his head. "Why do you let him do these things to you?"

She took another step back, drawing her jacket around her protectively. "If I don't, we don't get what we need and people die. What do you care anyway? You're evil too, you just don't like Wuya."

"There is a difference between evil and depraved Kimiko." He looked at her seriously. "Besides, we have been in allegiance for the last four years. I will not lie and tell you have not developed a certain fondness for you."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "That is probably the strangest sentence I have ever heard you say."

The dark haired man smiled. "Kimiko, over the last four years I have trained you, taught you to fight as you never could before, shown you the ways of the dark so that you could fight fire with fire. It is a choice that I may one day regret for you have grown into a formidable warrior. Despite my dark ways, I do not wish to see you get hurt and what that boy does to you, I could barely stand, even if I did not care for you."

Kimiko's look softened. "Fine you win. I like you to, against all my better judgement and I understand. It's not that I like any of this either." She limped over to a step and sat down, facing the evil fighting master. "But if I don't do what Jack wants, we dot get food. We don't get medicine."

Chase scowled. "The only reason you needed to go in the first place is because those foolish boys tried to take on Mala Mala Jong."

"I know, but there's nothing we can do about it now. I'm gonna get some sleep. He's sending a truck tomorrow. Usual time. Wake me."

Chase watched the young woman go up the stairs and shook his head. Such a waste, being on the side of light. Of course, that's what Jack thought to. He growled to himself and left to go hunting. If he ever got his claws on that boy, he would rip him to shreds.

Kimiko looked around the grey stone walls of her small room. It was even sparser than the one that she had lived in back at the temple. A mattress laid in the corner of the room with a bed roll, beside it a chest, holding her few surviving personal items and some spare clothes, folded neatly at the end of her bed. Shedding her jacket and trousers, she lay down on her bed, fully intending to sleep, but found that the state eluded her, as it had been doing more and more often lately. With a wave of her hand she lit the small lamp and sat up. Opening her chest she pulled out a small bundle of photographs tied with string. The last thing she had of her friends, her family. She rifled through them, looking for one in particular. It was one of the group. Omi was standing to the forefront, flashing a victory sign at the camera, a huge grin on his face. Clay stood, towering behind him laughing at something Dojo had hissed into his ear. Raimundo stood beside those them, his arm slung over Kimiko's shoulders, dragging her to his side. He was smirking mischievously, trade mark glint in his eye. Kimiko herself had a long suffering smile on her face as she let the young Brazilian pull her to him. It had been a good day, only a short time before Wuya had once again become whole and all to real.

She wanted to cry, desperately at times. For all that she had lost. For all that she now had to bear but she couldn't. She hadn't shed a tear in a long time. She placed the photos back into the chest and lay down again, forcing herself into a fitful and nightmare filled sleep.

The sun was just setting as Kimiko, Chase and several other able bodied member of their small resistance group waited on the out skirts of the city for the truck to come. Jack, evil bastard that he was, had not gone back on his promises yet.

Kimiko shifted uncomfortably in her crouched position, still feeling the effects of her encounter with Jack. Chase eyed her and frowned. She simply waved him off. She knew his concern was less for her and more for the successful procurement of the supplies. They would come, but getting them back with out being caught by Wuya's ever present enforcement officers would always be a challenge. They didn't have to wait much longer and Kimiko smiled slightly as she felt the seven men beside her tense. One thing she had learned from Chase was to keep cool and loose in battle.

Also very useful when lying, she had later discovered.

They were half way through the unloading of the truck when a black figure dropped down from a rooftop and grabbed some of the supplies before racing away down a side street. Kimiko heard Chase growl beside her but she put out her arm, stopping him from pursuing.

"No, you stay here and make sure those guys don't screw up. I'll go after this guy."

He nodded and Kimiko took off, practically flying down the street after their thief. She turned a corner and saw him a head of her. He looked back and picked up speed when he saw her in pursuit. He was wearing a balaclava to mask his identity and was dressed all in black like her. Kimiko frowned and sped up as well. He didn't look like one of Wuya's men. Didn't act like one either. The mysterious thief took another corner and Kimiko smiled to herself as she followed. He had just walked into a dead end. She rounded the corner and saw him looking up hopelessly at the sheer brick wall of a fourteen storey building. She skidded to a halt a few metres away from him. She took the few moments before he noticed her to study him. He was a good foot taller than her. A slender build belied wiry muscles that she could see now that she was up close. He only wore a black t-shirt and cargo pants similar to her own, and the balaclava.

She coughed and he jumped, spinning around quickly. There was gauze over his eyes, so she was talking to a blank mask when she addressed him.

"Ok, I suggest you give that back to me." She gestured to the bag he held. "You can do that nicely and tell me who you are or…"

The stranger threw the bag aside and took up a fighting stance. Kimiko shrugged and did the same.

"Hard way it is. Don't say I didn't warn you."

And the battle began.

Kimiko was impressed with the stranger's skills, but unfortunately for him, she had been training with the foremost master in martial arts. The fight was fierce with each of them landing an equal amount of blows. While Kimiko was faster and more skilled the stranger's height and greater natural strength equalled the playing field. She jumped up, planning to place a flying kick to his jaw but he caught her ankle and sent her flying to the ground. Kimiko growled and got back to her feet quickly but as soon as she did the stranger was there. He grabbed her by the shoulder and Kimiko brought her knee up hard to his groin. She was tired of fighting fair with this guy. In this city there was no such thing. The mysterious fighter stumbled back in pain and she placed a well aimed kick to his chest, sending him sprawling on his back. Kimiko pulled out the wicked blade that she always had with her and pounced on the stranger, placing the knife at his throat.

"Now, do you want to tell me who you are?"

Silence reigned for a few seconds before she heard his voice for the first time. It sounded surprised.

"Kimiko?"

"Wha…?"

Her momentary surprise that this guy knew her name was enough for him. He grabbed her shoulders again flipping them over, reversing positions. Kimiko heard her blade skitter across the concrete and into the darkness. Here she was, pinned beneath this man with no weapon. She'd never admit it, not even to herself, but she was absolutely terrified.

She looked up at the stranger's non face as one hand rose to unmask himself. With a swish of black fabric Kimiko found herself looking into surprised, angry, concerned green eyes.

"Raimundo?"

**End Chap.**

**Well, thats that. Any problems, tell me. I might bump up the rating at a later date. I'm not sure. Well, if I even continue will be up to you people. **

**Do I get a cookie?**

**Should I throw myself of a bridge for writing this?**

**Feed the author. All flames shall get bricks thrown at them which shall smash them into itty bitty word pieces, rendering them useless.**

**Slán for now.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: See previous chapter**

**Hey all. I am surprised and delighted at the positive feed back, so first, thank you. Yes; you:**

**_Halacanno: _Ooh, a box. Thanks.**

**_guitargirl : _No jumping, more writing. Got it.**

**_krazygirl259: _Well, hopefully this chapter will keep the cookies coming.**

**_SaphireStars: _Watch away. I know, the Chase thing. See below. And thanks.**

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**_Lilnovelist: _Thanks, here it is. Ahh, a Laby fan. First chapter of 'A Fable' is being beta-ed as we speak. Should be up in the next few weeks.**

**s_teramystilen: _Gee thanks. I do love my cookies. Yeah, OOCness. See below.**

**Anyway, one or two people mentioned that Chase was a tad OOC. Yes, he was. But he sees her more as business investment more than anything else. They both are really just paying lip service to each other, but this will all become clearer later. But besides that, you don't have to have a soul to think what Jack is doing is really really bad. **

**Anyway, enough of all that. Away with you to read. Not as long, but hopefully as good. **

**Chapter 2**

"Raimundo?"

The young man looked into the striking azure eyes of the woman beneath him. They were full of fiery anger and complete shock at the same time. He felt exactly the same. He thought his former team mate and friend was dead and gone. He had come to terms with the fact years ago. Yet here she was, beneath him, looking as if he might loose something important if he didn't get off her soon. He stood and held out a hand to help her up. Kimiko rose on her own and brushed herself off before looking at her long lost friend. Raimundo watched as a myriad of emotions flashed in her eyes. Surprise, anger, concern, affection and then they settled into a cold indifference that scared him. In his memory, Kimiko was every thing but cam and indifferent. If anything, one could accuse her of becoming too personally involved.

His eyes roved over her, taking in the changes that had taken place in his absence. She was a woman in a woman's body, that was for sure. The confident stance and fiery passion was still present to be sure. The scar across her face caught his attention and concern instantly, as well as the prominent bruises on her neck and shoulders. Dark and ugly.

On an impulse he jumped forward and pulled her into a crushing embrace.

Reluctantly, her arms came up around him as well. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in her familiar scent.

"I thought you were dead." He whispered.

Kimiko tensed as she heard the quiet words. She gently extracted herself from his embrace and stepped back.

"I thought you were dead too, Raimundo. Where were you?" She turned and retrieved her knife from across the street as she spoke.

He shrugged and leant against a wall. "I went home. Wanted to check on my family."

She turned to face him, wiping the vicious blade on her shirt. He eyed it warily. It was a curved knife with a serrated edge.

"Back home? For four and a half years, and not even a post card?"

"I thought you were dead. It took me a while to get to Brazil and back with out being caught."

Her eyes flashed angrily. "I looked for you. For months. I didn't just give up after we got separated."

"I didn't just give up, I just..."

"You just left."

Raimundo threw his hands up in defeat. "Fine. I left. I'm sorry. But I'm here now and we can go back to how it was."

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever."

"Kim…"

"No. You're right. You're here now." She picked up the bag of food he'd stolen and started walking. "Now, come on. Time to go home."

"There's a home now?"

"I've found my way since you disappeared."

Raimundo gave her his trade mark smile and winked. "Knew you would."

Kimiko didn't even react but kept walking.

They couldn't walk in the open until well outside of the city limits. The pair walked along side each other in silence until Raimundo requested a quick stop at the river. Kimiko just rolled her eyes and nodded. He bent down a splashed his face with water and grinned up at her.

"I only got back yesterday so I'm a little grubby."

She only nodded and stared into the distance. He sighed and took a gulp of water before standing and looking at her again. His eye was constantly drawn to the scar and her bruises.

"So," She glanced over at him. "what happened with the…?" He drew a line over his eye to illustrate what he meant.

She turned to him, studying him quietly, as if trying to figure out his motives for asking the question.

"Shortly after you di…left, I had a little run in with Jack."

Raimundo raised his eyebrow in scepticism. "Jack Spicer?"

"Yeah. I was looking for you and we ran into each other. I was unarmed. He wasn't. But in the end…" She took out her blade and flipped it over in her hand. "…I got the upper hand and he didn't get a chance to do any more damage."

"Did you kill him?"

The look in Kimiko's eyes scared Raimundo. He had never before thought her capable of killing another human being, but right now, he knew she was capable, and that worried him. How could one person change so much in so little time.

She laughed at his question. "I wish. He's still alive and kicking."

He nodded, accepting her answer. His eyes were then drawn to the bruises on her neck.

"And the bruises?"

She sighed. "You know, we should really get moving."

"Kim, what happened?"

"Ran into some bad guys yesterday. The usual."

"Bad guys working for Wuya strangle now?"

"There are more bad guys around these parts, these days. Come on."

Raimundo sighed again and followed her, seemingly walking a path only she knew as they jumped over rocks and clambered through bushes and trees, mostly dead, to get to an unknown destination. Soon, he found himself climbing after up an all to familiar mountain. He looked around the dragon's lair in awe as the stone door slid shut behind them.

"Hey, never thought I'd see this place again. Chase must've split after awhile, yeah?"

Kimiko just looked at him for a moment. "Stay here."

He watched as she walked up the steps and disappeared through a door. He sat on the steps and contemplated his friend. She had changed so much; she was almost a stranger to him. There was none of her fond teasing or unconditional affection anymore. She wasn't a spoilt brat anymore either, but as far as he was concerned, this was an improvement. He remembered that night, when he'd lost her. He thought, for good. It had been a big fight between Wuya's lackeys and them. Kimiko had called on her element of fire to drive them back but there had been barrels of oil behind them. The explosion was massive. He'd woken up later alone, and covered in blood that wasn't his. Kimiko wasn't anywhere to be found. As far as he could tell she was either dead or captured, which meant she was as good as dead. He had high tailed it out of China, and grieved the whole way. Now here she was, alive, and barely recognisable.

He heard footsteps behind him and turned only to jump back.

"Raimundo, you remember Chase, don't you?"

"Yeah, I remember him. I also remember that he's one of the greatest evil powers of all time. Do you mean to tell me you've been working with him?"

"We're both working against Wuya, what's the problem?"

"He's evil, that's the problem."

Kimiko looked away from the irate Raimundo.

"Listen, I figured out, sometimes, you have to fight fire with fire. If that means fighting darkness with darkness, then that's what I'm willing to do."

"Use dark to bring back the light?" Raimundo's tone was scornful.

Chase stepped down in front of him. "One cannot exist without the other. Myself and Kimiko have struck up a mutually beneficial relationship. A safe haven for the

resistance," he gestured around his cave, "for an able bodied fighting force to aid in my fight against Wuya. Trust me, neither myself nor Kimiko predict being 'friends' once this is over."

Raimundo's shoulders slumped. "I guess that makes sense." He mumbled.

Kimiko stood in front of him. "Good. Come on. I'll find you a room."

He followed her sulkily. "Don't expect me to like it though."

She glanced back at him. "Never crossed my mind."

* * *

Raimundo sighed as he looked around the large cavern. It had been a month since he had found Kimiko and been taken back to the hide out of the resistance. He had been on a few reconnaissance missions with some of the other resistance members, but since that first night, he hadn't seen even a glimpse of Kimiko. It was starting to worry him. He knew she was here. The others had had contact with her, but she seemed to be avoiding him like the plague. His days and nights had been taken up with training and from what he had heard, so had Kimiko's. He desperately wanted to know what was going on with her. He was sure she would have been happy to have him back. He made his way towards the entrance chamber but paused by the door. He could hear raised voices. They were arguing.

"This is my problem Chase, not yours. I will handle this the way I choose."

"What you are doing is foolish. You are going to get yourself killed, then you will be of no use to anyone."

"What would you have me do? Let us all starve to death while Wuya's power continues to grow? Why don't we just lie down in the middle of the city and wait for her to pick us up and execute us."

Raimundo smiled. That was the Kimiko he knew and loved. Unbridled anger. It was part of her charm.

"Don't be a fool."

"I'm doing what I have to do. You know this. You taught me this."

Raimundo heard footsteps coming towards him but before he had a chance to move the door was flung open and he was faced with a very angry Kimiko. He looked her up and down. She was once again covered in bruises, fresh and nasty.

"Kim, what the hell happened?"

"None of your business."

The cold, almost hateful tone of her voice made him shudder inwardly. He put a hand on her arm to stop her going anywhere.

"Kim…"

She wrenched her arm away from his grip and pushed him back roughly.

"Don't touch me Raimundo. You don't have the right."

He looked at her, hurt. "I thought we were friends. What's going on? Why have you been avoiding me?"

She said nothing but pun around on her heel and jumped down the steps, past Chase, who hadn't moved and out the entrance, disappearing into the night.

Raimundo scratched his head and looked angrily at Chase as he descended the steps himself.

"What the hell? What did you do to her?"

Chase shook his head as he looked at the door through which Kimiko had left.

"I did nothing."

"That's not Kimiko."

"True. That is not the young woman you left four and a half years ago."

"I didn't leave her. I though she was dead."

"That's not how she sees it."

"Huh?"

"I really think you should talk to her."

"Well, yeah. That'd be a really great idea, if I could get anywhere near her. What about those bruises? What happened there?"

"Again, that is something you should discuss with Kimiko."

"And again, easier said than done."

"Well, then. Maybe you should go and talk to her. She's out there somewhere right now."

Raimundo nodded and shot an angry glare at Chase before heading out the door, in search of Kimiko.

**End Chap.**

**Well, like I said, not as long as the first but we're getting on. Now the question: Do you want more? Please, leave your vote in the little box below.**

**Slán**


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